All Saints' Day Resources for Pastors: Sermon Prep & Liturgy Ideas

What is All Saints' Day?

Do members of your congregation consider themselves too sinful to be called a saint? Many Protestant churches skip All Saints' Day, but we miss something if we do: it is a chance to celebrate the Church itself—all the saints, living and dead—and to remind believers that sainthood does not belong to only a few conspicuously pious people.

First, All Saints' Day is a good time to stress the unity of the Church across the boundary of death, remembering that those who are now in Christ's more immediate presence are still part of us.

Remembering the dead in Christ is valuable—not least of which because of passages like Hebrews 11 and 12:1-3, which aim to inspire us to grow into saints ourselves. But remembrance is also important because there are relatively few places in Western culture that normalize the grief we all feel at the loss of those we love. Many churches tend to focus on joy in Sunday services, but are much less open about grief—and we all eventually carry the memories of beloved saints who have passed on before us. Letting your congregation see how joy and grief are blended in the life of the church is healthy and may be liberating for those who feel they have to put on a happy face on Sundays when they feel deep loss.

Second, All Saints' Day is also a valuable occasion to dwell on the reality of sainthood for every believer. Why not challenge your congregation: "You are redeemed! You have the Holy Spirit. That means you are a saint! Now comes the hard part: living up to who you already are!"

How liberating to remember that we are saints: from the most visible believer who evangelizes every day and helps the neediest to the believer who weeps at their daily struggle to break the cycle of sin and repentance.

Our sainthood is a beautiful dignity given to us by our God, that we are set apart by grace for good works (see Eph. 2:10).

As All Saints' Day approaches, consider how you might mark the occasion in your preaching and services. TPW offers a variety of resources to inspire you and help you craft your All Saints' Day services. See the special liturgy below as well as links to key themes.

Want more insights on All Saints' Day? See our post on incorporating the theological themes of All Saints' Day into your liturgy.

Key Bible Passages for All Saints' Day

All Saints' Day sermons and services tend to emphasize the unity of the saints, God's faithfulness to all generations, and our future hope in Jesus Christ for reunion with those who have gone before.

Here are some of the most commonly used texts for All Saints' Day with resources.

Sermon resources are available to all paid subscribers and liturgy requires the Complete Package.

Sermon and Liturgy Resources by Theme

Sermon resources accessible to all paid subscribers. Liturgy requires Complete Package subscription.